NFL Legend & OKC Native Gerald McCoy Brings Free Youth Football Camp Back Home to Oklahoma City

I spent Saturday morning, June 13, at Energy FC Field at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City photographing NFL legend and Oklahoma City native Gerald McCoy as he hosted his free youth football camp for athletes ages 8–18.

Before the camp officially started, I photographed Gerald, the coaches, volunteers and participating campers for a group photo for Gerald and his Patricia Diane Foundation. It was one of those moments that showed exactly what the day was about, community, opportunity and pouring into the next generation.

Group Photo by Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams Media

Once the camp got going, Gerald and several NFL and college football athletes and veterans worked with participants on fundamental football skills, position work and NFL-inspired drills. The camp was sold out, but walk-up participants were still accepted, giving even more young athletes a chance to be part of the experience. Each camper received a camp t-shirt, post-camp lunch and a goodie bag.

For McCoy, this camp is bigger than football.

Gerald McCoy grew up in Oklahoma City and became one of the state’s most recognizable football names before starring at the University of Oklahoma. From there, he was selected No. 3 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft. McCoy spent his first nine NFL seasons in Tampa Bay, where he became one of the league’s top defensive tackles and built a résumé that includes six Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro honors.

His NFL career included 59.5 sacks, 334 tackles, 86 tackles for loss and 153 quarterback hits over 140 games, but what stood out Saturday was not just what he accomplished in football. It was the way he used his platform to come back home and give something meaningful to Oklahoma City youth.

McCoy’s Patricia Diane Foundation is named in honor of his late mother, Patricia Diane McCoy. Through the foundation, his mission is to uplift single mothers and families by providing resources, support and financial assistance. The free football camp is another part of that mission — creating access, encouragement and positive experiences for young athletes and their families.

As someone who covers Oklahoma sports and the athletes coming up through this community, it was great to see a player with Gerald McCoy’s background return home and invest directly into kids who may be dreaming the same dreams he once had.

Saturday at Taft Stadium was about football, but it was also about service, legacy and showing young athletes that someone from Oklahoma City can make it to the highest level and still come back to help the next group believe they can do it too.

Below are a few photos I shot during my time at the camp.